Unconventional Happiness
by Ceallach Rion
Summary: Being alone together in the library one rainy night had Akashi's spark of interest renewed. Straight-up fluff. AkaKuro.


**Disclaimer**: All identifiable characters belong to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. The plot and story are mine.

This was previously a 300-word library prompt drabble I chose to rewrite and publish. :)

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**Unconventional Happiness**

Ceallach Rion

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Seven o'clock in the evening, his watch read, its ticking a faint sound in the empty library from where they were situated at the far end of the row of desks. Akashi's attention flitted to the window beside him; heavy rain greeted his view and the lamp post outside that flickered at odd intervals illuminated each drop of water on the surface of the glass.

"Tetsuya, the library closes in an hour," Akashi reminded the only occupant of the seat across him as he flipped through the page of his book. Crimson and gold eyes were fixated on the printed text, yet his attention was elsewhere. "It's best that we head home now, don't you think so?"

Kuroko, preoccupied with reading the novel he had been engrossed in for the past hour and a half, lifted his gaze to meet Akashi's own. "The rain hasn't stopped yet. Does Akashi-kun suggest that we brave the storm?"

"Certainly not." Kuroko's book was snapped close in an instant and snatched from his hands to be placed on the table. He was given almost no opportunity to register it when Akashi propped his arms on the desk and leaned closer afterwards, his voice low and clear. "I will not put your health at risk; however, I am quite concerned. There seems to be something that kept you from leaving before the downpour, and my curiosity has not left my mind at peace since."

The intimidating stare that was directed at Kuroko sent him on the edge of his seat, and he had no immediate answer to that but a slight parting of lips that shut as quickly as they opened.

A soft rumble of thunder was the only sound that came before Kuroko could utter a word, and if possible, it served as an ignition for the already building up tension between them.

Kuroko shifted in place in reflex. "I enjoy the peace in the library."

"My company included?" Akashi brought up as a sly inquiry.

There was a short pause. "That is... debatable."

"You need practice in buttering me up if you desire to escape this interrogation. Not that it would work so easily, but trying would cause no harm."

"I choose honesty over flattery, Akashi-kun," Kuroko said in his defense.

"Either that or you simply do not disclose the truth." Cornering Kuroko came easy for Akashi, but the former always did have something to say to counter-attack.

"There is nothing wrong with wanting to have a place to shelter from the rain for the time being. And whether it was Akashi-kun or someone else with me, my decision to remain indoors until closing time would have stayed the same," came his polished response, not a single note in his tone off-key.

"I see." Akashi expected no less from the answer and decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps to suspect that the phantom player had an ulterior motive was far-fatched, but Akashi hid his disappointment well behind that calm, collected facade.

Sensing that the conversation had made the atmosphere heavier than the weather had already done, Kuroko added, "But I do find Akashi-kun's company to be more pleasant than others'."

The statement fulfilled its purpose of coaxing a small grin to stretch across Akashi's lips. He would have liked to pry more on who the 'others' were, but that was for his own entertainment, which he regrettably pushed aside.

"Likewise," Akashi replied, satisfied.

Kuroko's face did not betray the slightest emotion for Akashi to call out on for any further prodding and the topic was eventually dropped.

"We have taken quite a number of books out while waiting. I suggest we return these to their proper shelves before the hour ends," Akashi stated firmly as he rose from his seat, lifting up majority of the books from the table and leaving a small stack composed of four books for Kuroko to carry, while he carried seven for himself.

No protest was heard on the teal-head's end and he quietly followed suit, trailing behind with his own pile of reading materials in his arms. Light footsteps resounded against the wooden floor apart from the pitter-pattering of the rain which echoed inside the spacious and empty architecture.

"Such horrid weather..." Akashi murmured to himself. A clap of thunder followed his remark and a loud thud from behind made him stop dead on his tracks. The vibrations it sent on the floor that reached the small nerves in his feet startled him just a tad and his head quickly snapped to the direction of the sound.

Mismatched eyes landed upon Kuroko's crouching form, the shorter of the two picking up the fallen book on the floor and placing it back on top of the stack he balanced on one arm. "Forgive me, I lost my footing for a moment," he said as he stood back up on his feet.

The Teikou captain sighed and faced forward again, the urge to offer some assitance was hindered when he was reminded of the weight of the load he still carried. "Be careful, Tetsuya. Stay close."

Before another step was made, light flashed from the outside through the glass windows, a deafening, thundering noise much louder than the last echoing in the skies that the room seemed to shake. Akashi was given so little time to react as he felt a sharp collision on his back, the books in his arms unceremoniously falling to the ground in his shock at the strong impact.

As the redhead tried to make sense of what had happened, the overhead lights flickered off, leaving his vision clouded with nothing but black. His breath hitched at the momentary loss of his eyesight, but that was the least of his concerns when strong arms looped securely around his waist. Just as he was about to voice out his demands for identification, he was silenced by another thunderstrike, and the other flinched at this with a tighter hold, a muffled yelp almost missed but nonetheless heard.

Raising his arm to cock his head around for better angle, a brief flash of light granted Akashi to see the view of the fleeting color of blue from his peripheral vision. And how he recognized that hue so well. "...Tetsuya?"

The same response was given at another sharp rumble from the sky and Akashi instantly caught on to the situation and no questions were further asked. The corner of his lips curled into a smile of understanding and, turning in place, he faced the shorter male and caged the stiff, trembling body in his arms.

"To cling onto me like this..." Akashi whispered directly into Kuroko's ear, which earned a restrained shudder in response. He wondered what kind of face Kuroko could be making at that moment when the boy so persistently buried his head in his chest, yet Akashi respected his personal space not to satisfy his shallow curiosity. Instead, a soft, gentle hand caressed the mop of teal hair in comfort. "How uncharacteristically... precious."

Akashi learned one thing about Kuroko that night and all words were left unspoken after that. Not that Kuroko would have insisted on having his captain swear to secrecy on the matter, but somehow, Akashi took pride in being the sole witness to this encounter. He would keep it as a secret, nevertheless; not for Kuroko's benefit, but his own.

And they basked in the warmth and the comfortable silence, surrounded by the mess of books by their feet.

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**Reviews are highly appreciated. :D**


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